Books Like “The Valley of the Moon”

Ethan Frome

Edith Wharton

1910

"Ethan Frome" by Edith Wharton is a poignant exploration of isolation, duty, and unfulfilled desires set against the bleak backdrop of a New England winter. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of an unnamed narrator who becomes intrigued by the enigmatic figure of Ethan Frome, a man marked by physical and emotional scars. The story is set in the fictional town of Starkfield, Massachusetts, where the harsh winter mirrors the desolation in Ethan's life. Ethan is trapped in a loveless marriage with his sickly wife, Zeena, and burdened by the responsibilities of his failing farm. The arrival of Mattie Silver, Zeena's young cousin, brings a glimmer of hope and warmth into Ethan's life. As Ethan and Mattie grow closer, their mutual affection becomes a source of both joy and torment, as they are bound by societal and moral constraints. The tension culminates in a tragic "smash-up," leaving Ethan physically and emotionally crippled. Wharton's narrative delves into themes of duty versus desire, the effect of environment on the human spirit, and the tragic consequences of choices constrained by circumstance. Through vivid descriptions and a keen psychological insight, Wharton paints a haunting portrait of a man caught between the life he yearns for and the one he is forced to endure.

The Longest Journey

E. M. Forster

1907

Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 - 7 June 1970) was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society. Forster's humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy may be aptly summed up in the epigraph to his 1910 novel Howards End: "Only connect ... ". His 1908 novel, A Room with a View, is his most optimistic work, while A Passage to India (1924) brought him his greatest success. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 13 different years.

The Awakening

Kate Chopin

1899

'The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude' When 'The Awakening' was first published in 1899, charges of sordidness and immorality seemed to consign it into obscurity and irreparably damage its author's reputation. But a century after her death, it is widely regarded as Kate Chopin's great achievement. Through careful, subtle changes of style, Chopin shows the transformation of Edna Pontellier, a young wife and mother, who - with tragic consequences - refuses to be caged by married and domestic life, and claims for herself moral and erotic freedom. The Penguin English Library - collectable general readers' editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century to the end of the Second World War.

The tortilla curtain

T. Coraghessan Boyle

1995

”Bittere Situationskomik, die noch im Moment der Katastrophe zum Lachen reizt.“ Reed Stillwater in der >taz

Anne's House of Dreams

Lucy Maud Montgomery

1917

Anne's House of Dreams: Large PrintBy Lucy Maud MontgomeryThe book begins with Anne and Gilbert's wedding, which takes place in the Green Gables orchard. After the wedding, they move to their first home together, which Anne calls their "house of dreams". Gilbert finds them a small house on the seashore at Four Winds Point, an area near the village of Glen St. Mary, where he is to take over his uncle's medical practice.

Lady Chatterley's Lover

D. H. Lawrence

1900

Trapped in a marriage which has become sterile and joyless since her husband's return from the trenches of the First World War, partially paralysed and confined to a wheelchair, Connie seizes the chance of sexual fulfilment she had thought lost to her forever.

Miss Billy Married

Eleanor Hodgman Porter

1914

In this sequel to *Miss Billy*, the spirited and independent Pollyanna-esque protagonist, Miss Billy, navigates the complexities and joys of her newfound marriage to the steady and kind Stephen. Porter explores the transition from single life to married partnership, as Miss Billy learns to balance her individual spirit with the responsibilities and compromises inherent in sharing a life. The novel offers a heartwarming glimpse into the adjustments and enduring affection that define a young marriage in the early 20th century.

Man and Wife

Wilkie Collins, Norman Page, Harry A. Webber

1870

Man and Wife was Wilkie Collins' ninth published novel. It is the second of his novels (after No Name) in which social questions provide the main impetus of the plot. Collins increasingly used his novels to explore social abuses, which according to critics] tends to detract from their qualities as fiction. The social issue which drives the plot is the state of Scots marriage law; at the time the novel was written, any couple who were legally entitled to marry and who asserted that they were married before witnesses, or in writing, were regarded in Scotland as being married in law. The novel has a complex plot, common in Collins' work.[3] In a Prologue, a selfish and ambitious man casts off his wife in order to marry a wealthier and better-connected woman, by taking advantage of a loophole in the marriage laws of Ireland.The initial action takes place in the widowed Lady Lundie's house in Scotland. Geoffrey Delamayn has promised marriage to his lover Anne Silvester (governess to Lady Lundie's stepdaughter Blanche), who has incurred the enmity of her employer. The spendthrift Geoffrey is about to be disinherited and wishes to escape from his promise and marry a wealthy wife. Nevertheless, he is obliged to arrange a rendezvous with Anne, in the character of his wife, at an inn, and documents this in an exchange of notes with her. Subsequently, urgent matters force him to send his friend Arnold Brinkworth, Blanche's fiancé, to Anne in his place. To gain access to her, Arnold must ask for "his wife". Although nothing improper passes between them, they appear to the landlady and to Bishopriggs, a waiter, to be man and wife.Thus, both Geoffrey and Arnold might be deemed to be married to Anne, depending on the weight put on the spoken and written evidence. Most of the novel concerns Anne's, Geoffrey's and Arnold's attempts to clarify their marital status:

My mortal enemy

Willa Cather

1926

My Mortal Enemy Willa Cather My Mortal Enemy is the eighth novel by American author Willa Cather. It was first published in 1926. Myra and her husband Oswald return to their fictional hometown of Parthia, Illinois, to visit their relatives. Nellie and Aunt Lydia then leave to spend the Christmas holiday in New York City with them. They live on Madison Square. They dine with Ewan Gray, a friend who has an infatuation with another actress, Esther Sinclair. Oswald receives silver-buttons for his shirt from an old Western acquaintance, and asks Lydia to pretend she gave them to him to thwart his wife's jealousy. Later Myra and Nellie go to the opera; in a lodge they spot an erstwhile friend of Myra's, which makes her sad. Later they take a hansom around a park and chance upon a rich acquaintance of Myra's, which leads her to be scornful over her own poverty. They spend Christmas dinner with friends of the Henshawes - both artists and people of privilege. Later they spend New Year's Eve with artists again. A few days later Nellie witnesses the Henshawes argue; the husband takes her out to lunch. Soon after, she and her aunt are to return to Illinois. On the train, they are joined by Myra, who has argued with her husband again and is going to visit a friend in Pittsburgh for a change of scenery.

The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar Wilde

1893

Subtitled “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” Wilde’s play is a brilliantly satirical comedy of manners, sending up the absurdity of Victorian social mores and cleverly critiquing the conventions of love and marriage. The tale of two gentlemen who adopt fictitious identities in order to woo the objects of their affections is Wilde’s most beloved work, considered to be one of the wittiest plays ever written in English. The glowing critical reception in London on opening night at the St. James Theater in 1895 marked the high point of Wilde’s career as a writer.

The Portrait of a Lady

Henry James

1881

HENRY JAMES (1843-1916), was born in New-York. His father was a writer in theology and his elder brother, William, was a philosopher. From 1865 he was a regular contributor of reviews and short stories to American periodicals. His first piece of fiction, "Watch and Ward", appeared in 1871, followed by "Transatlantic Sketches" and "A Passionate Pilgrim" in 1875. His first important novel was "Roderick Hudson (1876). For more than 20 years he lived in London, and in 1898 moved to Lamb House, Rye, where his later novels were written. At first he was concerned with older civilization of Europe, and to this period belong his novels "Daisy Miller" (1879) and "Portrait of a Lady"(1881). In "The Tragic Muse" (1890), "The Spoils of Poynton"(1897), and "The Awkward Age" (1899), he analyses English character. With "The Wings of the Dove" (1902), "The Ambassadors" (1903), and "The Golden Bowl" (1904), he returned to the theme of the contrast of American and European character. In 1915, Henry James became a British subject, and in 1916 was awarded the OM.

The Age of Innocence

Edith Wharton

1920

Edith Wharton’s acclaimed novel of love, duty, and half-known truths in Gilded Age New York society, with a foreword by bestselling author Elif Batuman Dutiful Newland Archer, an eligible young man from New York high society, is about to announce his engagement to May Welland, a suitable match from a good family, when May’s cousin, the beautiful and exotic Countess Ellen Olenska, is introduced into their circle. The Countess brings with her an aura of European sophistication and a hint of perceived scandal, having left her husband and claimed her independence. Her worldliness, disregard for society’s rules, and air of unapproachability attract the sensitive Newland, despite his enthusiasm about a marriage to May and the societal advantages it would bring. Almost against their will, Newland and Ellen develop a passionate bond, and a classic love triangle takes shape as the three young people find themselves drawn into a poignant and bitter conflict between love and duty. Written in 1920, Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a time and place long gone by—1870s New York City—beautifully captures the complexities of passion, independence, and fulfillment, and how painfully hard it can be for individuals to truly see one another and their place in the world. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Emily climbs

Lucy Maud Montgomery

1920

Emily Starr was born with the desire to write. As an orphan living on New Moon Farm, writing helped her face the difficult, lonely times. But now all her friends are going away to high school in nearby Shrewsbury, and her old-fashioned, tyrannical aunt Elizabeth will only let her go if she promises to stop writing! All the same, this is the first step in Emily's climb to success. Once in town, Emily's activities set the Shrewsbury gossips buzzing. But Emily and her friends are confident - Ilse's a born actress, Teddy's set to be a great artist, and roguish Perry has the makings of a brilliant lawyer. When Emily has her poems published and writes for the town newspaper, success seems to be on its way - and with it the first whispers of romance. Then Emily is offered a fabulous opportunity, and she must decide if she wants to change her life forever.

El conde Lucanor

Don Juan Manuel

1839

Don Juan Manuel (1282-1348), noble directamente emparentado con las familias que durante varios siglos ocuparon el trono de Castilla, es un caso anómalo en la literatura medieval española en la que abundan las obras anónimas. Sin embargo, entre su vida pública, de la que se conserva numerosa documentación, y la imagen que de sí mismo ofrecen sus páginas hay sorprendentes contrastes. Sus ocho obras conservadas, en las que predomina la intención de adoctrinar a los jóvenes vástagos de la nobleza, lo convierten en el prosista más importante del siglo XIV. En El conde Lucanor, su obra más conocida, alcanzan culminación y síntesis las tradiciones cuentísticas del mundo oriental y de los predicadores cristianos. La popularidad obtenida por los exempla incluidos en la primera parte no debe, sin embargo, oscurecer la habilidad con que Don Juan Manuel organiza el conjunto y combina distintos recursos retóricos. La pareja formada por el conde Lucanor y su ayo Patronio traspasa con sorprendente modernidad los borrosos límites que separan la realidad de la fición y entra por derecho propio a formar parte de los personajes famosos de la literatura universal.

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Robin S. Sharma

1996

After a heart attack nearly kills him, a high-powered lawyer treks to India to learn how to live a more meaningful life. Months later, he returns to the West and recounts the story of seven principles and practices that can help anyone experience true happiness.

Family ties

Danielle Steel

1995

From Manhattan to Paris and all the way to Tehran, Danielle Steel weaves a powerfully compelling story that reminds us how challenging and unpredictable life can be—and how the bonds of family hold us together. FAMILY TIES Annie Ferguson was a bright young Manhattan architect with a limitless future—until a single phone call changed the course of her life forever. Overnight, she became the mother to her sister’s three orphaned children, keeping a promise she never regretted making, even if it meant putting her own life indefinitely on hold. Now, at forty-two, still happily single with a satisfying career and a family that means everything to her, Annie is suddenly facing an empty nest. With her nephew and nieces now grown and confronting challenges of their own, she must navigate a parent’s difficult passage between helping and letting go. The eldest, twenty-eight-year-old Liz, an overworked editor in a high-powered job at Vogue, has never allowed any man to come close enough to hurt her. Ted, at twenty-four a serious law student, is captivated by a much older woman with children, who is leading him much further than he wants to go. And the impulsive youngest, twenty-one-year old Katie, is an art student about to make a choice that will lead her to a world she is in no way prepared for but determined to embrace. Then, when least expected, a chance encounter changes Annie’s life again in the most surprising direction of all. . . .

Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty

2014

From the author of Here One Moment and The Husband’s Secret comes the #1 New York Times bestselling novel about the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive. THE INSPIRATION FOR THE AWARD-WINNING HBO® SERIES STARRING REESE WITHERSPOON, NICOLE KIDMAN, SHAILENE WOODLEY, LAURA DERN, ZOË KRAVITZ, AND MERYL STREEP—AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON MAX® A murder...A tragic accident...Or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead. Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny, biting, and passionate; she remembers everything and forgives no one. Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare but she is paying a price for the illusion of perfection. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for a nanny. She comes with a mysterious past and a sadness beyond her years. These three women are at different crossroads, but they will all wind up in the same shocking place. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the little lies that can turn lethal.

Horton Hatches the Egg

Dr. Seuss

1940

When a lazy bird hatching an egg wants a vacation, she asks Ortone, the elephant, to sit on her egg--which he does through all sorts of hazards until he is rewarded for doing what he said he would.

How Oliver Olson changed the world

Claudia Mills

2009

Afraid he will always be an outsider like ex-planet Pluto, nine-year-old Oliver finally shows his extremely overprotective parents that he is capable of doing great things without their help while his class is studying the solar system.

By the time you read this

Lola Jaye

2008

When he discovered that he had only six months to live, thirty-year-old Kevin Bates picked up his pen and wrote The Manual—advice for his five-year-old daughter, Lois, to live by, laugh at, and follow from twelve until thirty. Seven years later, when Lois is given The Manual, she can barely bring herself to read her father's words, the pain of his loss is still so raw. Yet soon Kevin's advice is guiding her through every stage of life from teen angst to career arcs, to knowing when she's at long last met "the one." While The Manual can never be a substitute for having Kevin back, the words left behind become Lois's steady support through all of life's ups and downs, and prove invaluable to unlocking the key to happiness.

Read to Your Bunny

Rosemary Wells

1997

Brief text and colorful illustrations tell what happens when parents and children share twenty minutes a day reading.

Say What?

Margaret Peterson Haddix

2004

Sukie is worried -- her parents are acting strange. When she runs in the house, her dad asks, "If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump off a bridge too?" When she eats peas with her fingers, Mom yells, "You'll put an eye out with that thing!" What is going on? Have her parents been replaced by aliens? Are they robots with broken circuits? She and her older brothers decide to investigate. And what they discover leads to a kids-against-parents WAR! This very funny book casts a new light on family rules.

The Outsiders

S. E. Hinton, Jim Fyfe, Jodi Picoult

1967

Includes bonus material, a new foreword by the author, and a discussion guide.

The Shining

Stephen King

1977

This inspiring and compelling book has won ten awards to date, including Honorable Mentions at the December 2012 New England and London Book Festivals, October 2012 Southern California Book Festival and June 2012 New York Book Festival in the category of Spiritual books; is winner of the North American Bookdealers ́ Exchange (NABE) Pinnacle Award for “Inspirational” books in Spring 2011; and has become a much sought-after reference for people seeking to affect positive change around the globe. Readers are: * taught how to recognize, harness and channel positive personal power for the betterment of themselves, their loved ones, associates and our universe * provided an invaluable checklist of great leadership behaviors and attitudes * taught how to recognize controlling behaviors of others and the negative patterns in society * inspired to be the best they can be * compelled to ask themselves "why am I here; what good can I do for humanity?" * taught how to recognize a self-limiting posture so they can improve their level of self-awareness......to the point of real self-intelligence and, by so doing, break free of life’s boxes, labels and restrictions * encouraged to erase their fears, trust their abilities and remove their baggage........and take the journey to empowerment and fulfilment in everything they do!